Trailer Tires

[94BULLITT]

I don't have my receipt handy but that's ($125) about what I paid for my 4 tires, load range E, w/ mounting. W/O Rim!

Let me guess they were 225/75R15.

We don't have a Sams club real close but the price they have on the Greenballs is really good. Do you have to be a member to purchase tires?

 

[mikehaugen]

I think so, but I think the cheapest membership is $40, maybe 50. Might be worth it? If you are a drinker, their liquor is pretty cheap, so pick up a few bottles while you are there to help offset cost. :d

Seriously though, if you make a fairly large shopping trip while there, you'll get your membership fee back.

 

[woody]

I had heard somewhere that ST tires had a stiffer sidewall to prevent sway but with Chinese tires who knows. If manufacturers are using a LT tire I guess it is okay. Plus a LT won't be limited to 55-65 MPH. It seems like ST tires have a high blowout rate. LTs are looking more attractive.

I talked to a guy that runs a local tire shop and he says the biggest difference is the trailer tire has rounded edges. I been running LT tires on my 3 ton trailer for 15 years, but not the same tires. when I would buy new tires for my truck I would put the take offs on my trailer. I also have a 7 ton trailer that I run 10 ply truck tires on with no problems so far.

 

[Fi-Q]

I have read ton of info on this for my triple axle rv. If you have 16in wheel there is good lt tires range with tough duty capacity.

Me i am on 15. I've had bad experience with good year. So I went with Maxxis 10 plu. Had to order them online, could not find them locally. So far so good

 

[woody]

my 16 foot trailer is 15" rims and now I have a different truck so the tires on it are getting old and gonna be hard to find. may have to change rims are go back to trailer tires.

 

[cockeyedMFer]

thats as good of an argument errr i mean discussion as tractor brands..

Some ppl like the LT tires and had good luck with them.. I think LT tires have sturdier sidewalls, which is good when on a dual axle trailer when you get the 'twist' as you turn

Others say "you cant run a non-trailer tire on a trailer" .. I think trailer tires have better built in UV protection because typically their life is over due to age rather than miles..

I know some trailer mfg ship their stuff with LT tires..

brian

When I bought my 12k trailer used several years ago it came with E rated LT tires and they've been great. Owner said the trailer had them since new. (Patriot trailers). Tread wear has been fair with no odd patterns or scrubbing.


Just last week I bought a set of 4 Goodride radials from Amazon for an open car trailer, mounted on new 6 lug modular wheels. $133 each with shipping. Very nice looking tread and the compound isn't either gooey or rock hard, and they're a perfect match for the rig - 5200 lb axles, 2540lb tire rating, 2500lb wheel rating. Bias ply would have been $10 or $15 cheaper but I shy away from those.



The seller has other sizes in stock if anyone is looking:

Amazon.com: Wheels Express Inc: Automotive

 

[Dr Dave]

I have an open car trailer with 24 year old bias ply tires, other trailers with radial tires wont last 5 years, I think setting for periods of time are what causes t he radials to fail.

Midwest Wheel has wheels and tire/wheel asy.

Dave

 

[lutt]

I have run bias ply trailer tires on my small utility trailer with good results. The local tire shop at home witch tailors to farmers needs keep a g rated 16 inch trailer tire for goosenecks and heavy bumper pull trailers, I know people running those with good luck, my new stock trailer came with Carlisle tires on it, hope they last a while, a man can get too many sets of tires he has to keep up with! LUTT

 

[JIGBUILDER]

I use 16" LTs on all of my commercial trailers with 5.2k/6k/7k axles and the 32' RV with 6k axles and a 36' tri axle stock trailer. Just about all of the many 15" LTs we had at one time are gone now. Only a couple of sizes left . The euro style multi position tire in 14" and 15 " are becoming popular with the road trailer crowd.

If I had a utility trailer or a lawn service trailer that sat much of the time or its life was spent on short trips around town with few to non road trips, IMO a ST tire makes sense.

Carlisle and a couple of other ST maypop brands are advertising a new nylon cap between the tires carcass and tread is supposed to fix their very bad reputation. Only time and miles will tell the real story. I wish them luck

I stopped using bias ply in the late '70s on anything other than my blue tractor and the zero turn.

 

[daugen]

new trailer tires came in today, to replace the oem Chinese bias plies.
Like the Kumho radial trailer tires I've also ordered, these were nicely made, finished, and the tread depth
seemed generous. With shipping, 120 apiece. No bargain, just hopefully quality tires.

 

[bandaidmd]

That Maxxis looks pretty good.
Maybe most trailer tires would last longer if they made them with more of a square tread, these round tread tires only ride on the very center when at pressure and unloaded . Hardly anyone is going to constantly adjust the pressures to match the load. Why are most trailer tires made with the rounded tread?

 

[daugen]

Why are most trailer tires made with the rounded tread?
I believe for less scrub/resistance going around turns. ??

 

[Diamondpilot]

Maxxis is a very good trailer tire.

Chris

 

[JIGBUILDER]

Why are most trailer tires made with the rounded tread?
I believe for less scrub/resistance going around turns. ??

The old Goodyear Marathon website and Carlisle old website said a narrow tread makes a better tire for a trailer. Now look at the ST235/80-16 tire with a 6.0" wide tread and a 9.2" tire width. The sidewalls are basketball shaped and is supposed to give the trailer a soft flexy ride. Flex = heat.
Now look at a LT235/85-16 tire with a 6.7"to 7" wide tread and the same 9.2" tire width. The sidewalls don't basketball out as bad as the ST.
Rim width is critical for a load carrying tire. The wheels width should be close to the same as the tires tread width.
Next time your behind a semi trailer going down the road look how flat or vertical the sidewalls are compared to a ST tire or even some sizes/brands of LT tires.

 

[bandaidmd]

The old Goodyear Marathon website and Carlisle old website said a narrow tread makes a better tire for a trailer. Now look at the ST235/80-16 tire with a 6.0" wide tread and a 9.2" tire width. The sidewalls are basketball shaped and is supposed to give the trailer a soft flexy ride. Flex = heat.
Now look at a LT235/85-16 tire with a 6.7"to 7" wide tread and the same 9.2" tire width. The sidewalls don't basketball out as bad as the ST.
Rim width is critical for a load carrying tire. The wheels width should be close to the same as the tires tread width.
Next time your behind a semi trailer going down the road look how flat or vertical the sidewalls are compared to a ST tire or even some sizes/brands of LT tires.

sorry but i'm not seeing which type you feel is the best, flat or rounded?

 

[Turbys_1700]

I have had the same issues everyone else has had with trailer tires...
My camper uses 15'" rims in a 225 series size...
The last set I purchased were e-rated tires good for 80 psi...
They are Greenballs and have been great...
The rims are only rated for 65 psi but I run them at 75...
So far so good...

I think that part of the issue with trailer tires today is that...
1. They are made cheaper than in years past...
2. QC issues with quality consistency from batch to batch...
3. Today's tow vehicles are capable of towing at much higher speeds than years ago thus excessive heat build up in the tires leading to premature failure...
4. Lower standards set for ST tires versus LT tires by the DOT...
5. Operator error in under-inflated tires or older dry rotted tires...
Take this info for what it's worth...
But...
I know that I am right...lol

 

[ultrarunner]

I always adjust tire pressure for the load.

My car trailer drops to 25 empty and 40 loaded.

If I didn't drop the pressure the solid axle trailer would bounce.

Same for my 4x6 box trailer... it's either empty or carrying a yard of gravel...

 

[JIGBUILDER]

sorry but i'm not seeing which type you feel is the best, flat or rounded?

Pulling trailers to make a living has shown me the flatter sidewall/tread of the LT is far superior to any ST tire with the flexy rounded sidewalls/tread.
However for a trailer that sits for months at a time or makes short trips around town such as a lawn service trailer the ST works for many.
So to say which one is best depends on the type of service required...IMO.

 

[bullbreaker]

First response was perfect. I maintain about 75 trailers and hands down the best are Greenball Tow Master Radials followed by Gladiator a radials. Trailer Kings are not bad either.

Hands down the worst are Carlisle Tires followed closely by Goodyear Marathons.

Chris

ptimist: Just checked tires that came with my 2014 Heartland 26lrss
They are Trailer Kings ST Radials

 

[scodemike]

So I have a question re; size. My fifth has 235/80/R16 and the Costco Greenball Towmaster Radial is 235/85/R16 @ $145 eac. Can I use the 85 series in place of the 80?